One of the nation's leading public law schools, the Moritz College of Law strives to make a difference in the world through excellence in teaching, meaningful scholarship, and advancement of the legal profession.

It's the best of all worlds for students at the Moritz College of Law. Classes are small and intimate. Yet, they can enjoy the facilities, resources, and entertainment only a world-class university can offer.

There is something for everyone in Columbus, Ohio. There are more than 50 student groups at the law school alone, culturally enriching activities on campus year-round, and a thriving city to explore a few blocks from Drinko Hall.

Our alumni network is hard at work from coast to coast and beyond U.S. borders. Stay connected with classmates and the College through campus events, alumni gatherings, and many opportunities to mentor today's law students.

The Career Services Office is a hub for students, alumni, and employers alike. Whether it's a student looking for summer job opportunities or leading legal employers in search of highly qualified candidates, our staff is here to help.

Law Leadership Courses

Lawyers as LeadersProfessor Garry W. Jenkins
The college’s pioneering leadership education course enables students to develop themselves as leaders of organizations, embark on paths of personal leadership development, and increase their competence in working across a wide variety of organizational settings. Combining case studies, simulations, and theory, the course is designed to help students understand the hallmarks of skillful leadership and management. The course includes such topics as ethics, managing diversity, working with and managing teams, interpersonal dynamics, understanding power and influence, and organizational behavior.

Legal NegotiationsProfessors Joseph B. Stulberg and Charles E. Wilson
This course explores the planning, communication, information, influence, relationships, emotion, and decision-making faced by leaders in the diverse contexts in which they negotiate.

Dispute Resolution Processes: Theory and PracticeProfessors Sarah Rudolph Cole and Ellen E. Deason
This course introduces students to a range of dispute resolution mechanisms, this course provides theory and practice of negotiation, mediation, arbitration, among other subjects.

MediationProfessors Amy J. Cohen, Sarah Rudolph Cole, Ellen E. Deason, Joseph B. Stulberg and Nancy H. Rogers
This seminar/practicum combines critical study of the legal, ethical, and policy issues surrounding mediation theory and practice with the opportunity for students to develop skills to effectively mediate disputes. Students gain practical experience by serving as mediators in cases before the Franklin County Municipal Court.

Law and PsychologyProfessor Deborah Jones Merritt
This course examines recent psychology research, exploring the various factors that drive human decision making and influence persuasiveness. The course applies this research to a variety of specific contexts in which lawyers serve as decision makers and advocates. By drawing upon the insights of modern cognitive science, the course prepares law graduates to enhance their decision making and advocacy in a broad number of roles.

Legislation ClinicProfessors Douglas A. Berman, Terri L. Enns, and Steven F. Huefner
The Legislation Clinic places students in externship assignments to research and analyze current and potential legislative issues, expose them to the challenges of leadership and policy development in a partisan context, and develop their negotiation and consensus building skills. Working with state government, students are placed with one of the four leadership caucuses in the Ohio General Assembly (majority and minority in House and Senate), with individual members of key committees (e.g., Judiciary or Finance), the Legislative Service Commission, the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review, the Office of the Governor, and cabinet-level agencies of state government. The Clinic is supervised by two Moritz faculty members.

National Security LawProfessors Dakota Rudesill
This course examines the legal (international, constitutional, statutory, and administrative), process, policy, political, and personality aspects of the government’s national security efforts, as conducted by lawyers and policymakers. It explores horizontal federal interactions and vertical interactions international, federal, state, and local coordination. The course’s classroom portion has six modules: (1)conceptual and constitutional framing; (2) national security Executive Branch inter-agency process; (3) intelligence; (4) domestic incident management; (5) national security investigations; and (6) key particular topics including cyber, drones, detainees, biological terrorism and pandemic disease, cross-border security, and practice considerations for government lawyers and policymakers (in the national security realm in particular but also more generally). Students will be evaluated based on their performance in an all-day national security crisis simulation in which they will role-play government lawyers and policymakers; two short papers; several daily written and oral briefings; and class participation.

Washington, D.C. Summer ProgramProfessor Chris Walker and Dakota Rudesill
Led by a Moritz faculty member, the law school runs a summer program in Washington, D.C. that places students in externships with federal agencies and nonprofit organizations. Students often work directly with a senior officials and/or the substance of the work involves leadership issues such as how an industry should be regulated, how Congress should address a pressing policy problem, or how problems can be addressed through new public-private initiatives. In addition to the internships, students enroll in “The Ethics of Washington Lawyering,” a law school course providing exposure to several experienced leaders in diverse positions.

Professional Practice Courses
These courses are intended to provide an avenue for students to draw upon the critical analysis and skills training they have received in law school to further develop the problem solving orientation and skills crucial in law practice. As “capstones,” these classes are designed to ensure close interaction with practicing lawyers who are leaders in their fields with a wealth of professional judgment. The courses center on problem solving and the skills and professional judgment required in a variety of legal work, and will emphasize application of practice skills such as critical thinking, negotiations, and writing for a senior partner and for a client. Students will address problems frequently associated with legal work using hypothetical suits and simulations.

Oxford Study Abroad
The Moritz College of Law also offers two study-abroad programs in Oxford, England. The programs permit law students to study for either a semester or a summer at Oxford University in classes taught by both U.S. law and British faculty. Such international exchange offers students rich academic and cultural experiences that provide insight into international and comparative law, conflicts, and the challenges of leadership in a global community.

Students may also pursue non-law coursework for in-depth study in a variety of substantive areas related to specific interests, including business, children and family studies, civil rights (including race, gender and sexuality), criminal justice, disability rights, environmental, health, international and human rights, labor, legislation, nonprofit organizations and sports. Contact Annina Parini at parini.2@osu.edu for more information.

The Ohio State University | Michael E. Moritz College of Law
55 West 12th Avenue | Columbus, OH 43210-1391 | (614) 292-2631
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